It is known for its stunning coastline vistas, high-end genteelness and providing sanctuary for the wealthy seeking refuge from the stresses of life in nearby New York.

But now affluent residents in the Hamptons say an unwelcome down-market intruder is casting a shadow over their otherwise brilliant horizons - the humble pick-up truck.

The residents have turned up their noses at the mass arrival of pick-ups and sports utility vehicles at weekends - when they and their occupants are known to gravitate to a 4000 square foot area called Truck Beach.

In a move that some say bears the hallmarks of class warfare, the locals have launched court action aimed at keeping the trucks off the beach, to which they claim they own access rights.

They have complained of public urinating and defecation, overcrowding, and traffic dangers caused by visits from the large numbers of vehicles.

Cindi Crain, one of the residents calling for the ban, said her eight-year-old son was almost hit by an SUV.

“Just get it away from our kids,” she told the New York Post. “It’s really unsafe. It’s really unsanitary. There are other places they can do this, less inhabited areas.”

The truck owners say their families have lived in the Hamptons for generations and accuse the residents of not-in-my-backyard snobbery.

“People come here and they don’t want anyone around them except themselves,” said Nathaniel Miller, a 37-year-old fisherman, who added that his family had lived in the area for 13 generations and that his parents had driven vehicles on to the beach. “Everyone wants their lobster but they don’t want to smell the bait.”

The court action is being opposed by East Hampton Town Council and other residents who objected to campaigners calling them out of the blue pleading for support.

“They were trying to get people to sign their petitions with bad information,” said one, Cynthia Carew, a lawyer. “It was insulting.”

The council disputes the residents’ claim of access rights and is considering condemning the area to prevent them asserting exclusive control.

“This is a traditional use of that beach that we are trying to protect,” said East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell. “Public access to the beach is a paramount issue here.”